


only fools rush in

by littlemaple



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Cardverse, Love Confessions, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 05:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14805054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemaple/pseuds/littlemaple
Summary: Arthur fell in love with his King even knowing he wasn’t interested. Four years later, nothing has changed. Or so Arthur thinks.





	only fools rush in

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a short drabble to only see the light of day at Tumblr, but it got much longer than I had planned, so here it goes as well.  
> If you don't know already, I often post short drabbles at my tumblr, @not-aph-england ;3

 

The worst part was the international events. When they were at the castle, Arthur could just go about his duties and completely avoid Alfred when those were done. However, he couldn’t do the same when they were abroad, or when other monarchs were around. To everyone else, they were a happily wedded couple — as Spadian monarchs always were. According to Yao, the Jack, it was best to keep the tradition, so Arthur was forced to attend balls with the King, and talk about how much they were happy together, and even share a bed when everything was finally done; Arthur couldn’t catch a break.

And the worst wasn’t even the faking and the playing pretend — those were kind of fun, even. He could hear the other Queens talking about their happy lives and it was fun to wonder who was speaking the truth and who else was lying effortlessly like Arthur was. So yeah, no. The worst wasn’t even having to hug Alfred or hold his hand, although that did sting a little bit.

The worst part was constantly remembering how much he had made a fool out of himself when he first met Alfred, and how much it hurt when Alfred broke it to him, after Arthur had drunkenly kissed him, that they wouldn’t have a romantic life together. Ever.

Only thinking about it was enough to make Arthur blush. He remembered it so clearly: he had been so happy to find the Spadin mark on his back, to know he’d become a Queen and marry the astonishing, bright, handsome prince and be blessed with conjugal happiness as all the other royal marriages before his… it was so embarrassing to remember that. He had been a naive seventeen-year-old. Even now, four years later, he couldn’t help but to feel embarrassed and remember that he had happily kissed Alfred after drinking some ale, and how uncomfortable and disgusted Alfred had looked at him as he pushed Arthur back.

And the  _worst, worst_  part was that he had fallen in love with Alfred anyway. He felt like a fool, but he had. He had fallen for his charm, for his brightness and sense of justice; he had fallen for the way he laughed, for his dreamy eyes, and even for his sloppiness. When they were at the castle, it was easier to deal with it: they had their duties as King and Queen, and they had their meals together and chatted casually, but then Arthur could retire himself to his room or gardens or library and completely take Alfred out of his mind. But when they were surrounded by other monarchs… when they had to hold hands and act affectionally towards each other… Arthur couldn’t help but to wonder… if he hadn’t gotten drunk that one time, if he hadn’t kissed Alfred like that… would things be different? Would they eventually get together? Would they be happy together?

That evening it was particularly hard. Maybe because Arthur had been stressing with a lot of extra work, or maybe because he had seen Alfred happily talking to a knight as they stood way too close to each other… who could tell… the point is it was hard to pretend. Whenever Alfred laughed at someone’s joke, whenever Alfred held his hand… it hurt. Arthur didn’t want to do it anymore. He needed to be alone, to lie down, to collect himself. So when Alfred asked him for a dance, Arthur decided it was the perfect moment to discreetly announce he’d be leaving the ball earlier that evening.

They started to dance, and although Arthur was smiling, he avoided Alfred’s eyes.

“Well, I will—”

“I want to—”

They looked at each other in confusion, both blushing slightly.

“You can speak first,” Alfred smiled.

“Thank you. I, uh… I’ll be leaving to our quarters earlier today. Tell everyone I’m tired, if they ask, please.”

“What, are you okay?” Alfred asked, and there was actual concern in his voice. Of course it had, Arthur thought with himself, I’m the Queen. He cares for me. He just doesn’t love me. Arthur felt his eyes watering a little bit. Four years, and he was still a fool.

“Yes,” he lied, “I’m just tired.”

Alfred squinted his eyes.

“You don’t look tired. When you’re tired you check your pocket watch at least twenty times an hour, and you constantly rub the spot between your eyebrows,” Alfred said.

Arthur scoffed, “How would you know that?”

“I pay attention to you,” Alfred said casually, squeezing Arthur’s hand and smiling innocently as he turned Arthur around and back, “Today you’ve been sighing and avoiding eye contact with everyone. From what I’ve gathered, you must be upset. What happened?”

_I’m a fool and I’m in love with you_ , Arthur thought, but he wouldn’t say that. He was still embarrassed from that drunken kiss four years previously, he wouldn’t embarrass himself further. So instead, he sighed and shook his head.

“Nothing.”

Alfred didn’t say anything for a few seconds, which was suspicious, but Arthur honestly wasn’t in the mood to care.

“Do you remember when we first met?” Alfred asked eventually, and Arthur felt his entire body tense up.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t drunk enough to forget,” he grumbled. Alfred laughed.

“You kissed me,” Alfred went on.

“I apologized for that multiple times,” Arthur mumbled bitterly, “Besides, it’s been four years. Why bother bringing it up again?”

Alfred took a deep breath and looked deep into his eyes.

“I wasn’t interested in you back then.”

“I recall,” Arthur said. He didn’t understand what Alfred was up to, but he didn’t like it. Arthur dropped his fake smile and stared at him with a mix of anger and hurt.

“Yeah. I was sixteen, I didn’t want to marry a random peasant,” Alfred shrugged.

“You sound very lovely right now,” Arthur rolled his eyes.

“I know, I’m just saying. That was what I was thinking back then. But then we were forced to spend time together, and I watched you focus on your studies and I got to know you… and I was thinking… hey, this guy still has ugly eyebrows—”

“I  _will_ punch you,”

“—but, c’mon, let me finish,” Alfred laughed, “I was thinking that despite that, you were interesting. And… recently… I’ve been thinking that a lot. About you and that, I don’t know… if you’re still interested, our marriage could be more than political.”

Arthur stopped dancing. He stared at Alfred in pure confusion, not caring for the other people who were turning to look at them.

“What?”

“If you’re not interested, then…” Alfred said as he looked around, smiling at someone behind Arthur awkwardly, “It’s been four years after all… I just thought, you know, it’d be worth a shot.”

“I don’t… understand. What are you…” Arthur managed to say, unsure.

“I’m saying that…” Alfred sighed, “... can we go speak in private?”

“It was your idea to start this while we were dancing, so you better finish it,” Arthur shook his head. He didn’t know what to think. His heart was beating fast, and he wasn’t sure what to do of anything. What did Alfred mean? Was it a joke? Arthur was so confused. He wanted to believe it meant the obvious, but he was tired of being a fool and hurting himself.

Alfred sighed again. Then he smiled a little and stepped closer. He placed a hand on Arthur’s waist, the other on his shoulder. Looking into his eyes, he smiled a little bit wider. “I’m saying… I fell in love with you. And that I didn’t know how or when to say this… I even asked friends, but… you always avoid me when we are alone, so…” he looked down, then up at Arthur’s lips, and finally at his eyes.

Arthur gulped, gaped, stared. He wanted to kiss Alfred. He wanted to hug him and kiss him and call him an idiot for saying those things in public.

But he didn’t want to make a fool out of himself again.

So he looked down, pursing his lips.

“... You can kiss me. If you want,” he said.

“I can?”

Arthur nodded.

The warmth of Alfred’s lips against his own made tears fall down Arthur’s cheeks, and he eagerly hugged Alfred to hide them, their lips awkward around each other, but happy.

And then there were clapping sounds dragging them back to reality. They were both standing in the middle of the ballroom, with dozens of people around them, clapping and smiling.

Arthur hid his burning cheeks on Alfred’s chest, and Alfred laughed and waved awkwardly. Perhaps, Arthur thought, they were both fools. Happy fools now, at least. And he could live with that.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, please let me know! <3


End file.
